A new chapter for Henties Bay animal welfare

Formerly known as Angel Animals Home, the newly established Henties Bay SPCA has big plans to revamp its kennels for its furry residents – but requires urgent support from the community to make this dream come true. Natasha Britz, Henties Bay SPCA branch manager, said the team is proud to have joined the wider Namibian SPCA family. “We used to be Angel Animals Home, which did amazing work over the years. But now that we are officially the SPCA Henties Bay, we’re learning so much and making sure that everything we do is correct and professional. It’s wonderful, because people are now a little more willing to support us, and that’s exactly what we need.”She said that they currently have a large number of dogs in their kennels. “Our first responsibility is to look after them: making sure they have food, deworming, vaccinations, and proper care. But of course, what we want most is to find them loving homes.”Big dreams Henties Bay is in desperate need of animal welfare support. “Every week, two to three dogs arrive here after being hit by cars. Just last week, two cats came in after being attacked by dogs. It’s heartbreaking. Because we don’t have a permanent vet in town, we need to take these animals to Swakopmund for proper treatment. That costs money, and the only funding we have is what we raise ourselves," Britz added. She said the team tries to help wherever possible. “We even support local initiatives such as the Omdel animal project. But we’re a small team. Our committee works tirelessly, and we are so grateful for them."She added: "The dog run here is fantastic! The dogs are friendly, sociable and happy. They get food every day: hot meals, pellets, and of course, the cats are cared for too. But cat food, for example, is very expensive, and donations are always needed.”She noted that their kennels are “a bit tired, as we put most of our money into the animals themselves."“One of our biggest dreams is to renovate them, to make them bigger, safer and more welcoming. We want people to feel comfortable visiting us, because that’s how adoptions happen. Even though the dogs are loved, walked every day, and trained, their living conditions aren’t ideal. We’d like visitors to walk in and say, ‘Wow, I’d love to meet a friend here.’”In addition to the cats and dogs in the kennels, the SPCA is home to free-roaming cats in their stables.“They’re affectionate and well cared for, and we’ve started a special initiative where people can ‘adopt’ a stable cat. That means helping cover its food and vaccination costs for a month or a year, and in return, you can visit and spend time with ‘your’ cat whenever you like.”Improving community pet care Britz emphasised that education is key. “As pet owners, there are small but important things we can all do: keep dogs in enclosed yards, make sure they wear collars with identification, walk them on leads to avoid fights, and clean up after them for the sake of community health."She said she spends a lot of time "talking to people in town about these things, encouraging them in a friendly way to do the right thing. It makes such a big difference.”Find your forever friend The Henties Bay SPCA can currently house about 20 dogs and 40 cats.“We have 15 dog kennels, two cattery areas, six cat cages, ten boarding dog kennels, and a newly built green dog garden where dogs can play and potential adopters can meet their match. We are also uniquely set up with boarding facilities for horses, currently home to over 30 privately owned horses. The proceeds from the stables go directly towards funding SPCA operations and the care of homeless pets.There are currently eight staff members, split between looking after the cats, dogs and horses. "Unfortunately, we don’t have a vehicle to collect stray animals, but we try our best to assist where we can," Britz explained.The SPCA is a registered welfare organisation that was established to prevent cruelty to animals and promote animal welfare in Namibia. Its shelters and foster caregiver networks can collectively house anywhere from around 20 to over 400 animals at any given time.The Henties Bay SPCA can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.“We share updates, pictures and information about dogs and cats up for adoption. Please take a look. Your perfect match may be waiting.”

A new chapter for Henties Bay animal welfare

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-21

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A new chapter for Henties Bay animal welfare

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-21

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